Paying Attention

Reading Harper’s account of the economic chaos in the US yesterday, I was reminded of comments made recently by the Hopi cultural preservation officer, that turmoil and disharmony is inevitable when a people neglect their spiritual essence. In a society that values secular achievement to the detriment of any sense of community obligation, it is no wonder that things continually fall apart. The challenge for Americans is to pursue that ancient essence that made us human before the disorienting distractions of church, state, and market diverted our collective attention.